Ohio EPA Proposes Pollution Limits for Drilling
Associated Press
29 August 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Companies drilling for oil and natural gas in
shale formations in Ohio might soon face air pollution limits on new
wells.
The practice of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or
"fracking," in pursuit of gas can require multiple wells on a single
site, creating a concentration of equipment that can leak hazardous
airborne compounds, The Columbus Dispatch reported. That's causing
concern about the pollutants the drilling operations might release, and
the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has proposed requiring oil and
gas drillers to get permits that would set pollution limits.
"This is no longer the individual little well you see out in farm
fields," Ohio EPA spokesman Mike Settles said. "This is a sizable
operation with pieces of equipment that need to be covered by an air
permit."
Ohio has more than 64,000 active oil and gas wells, but they had not
been considered significant threats to air quality.
Environmental groups appear to have more qualms with the idea than
drillers do.
"I don't see anything that's particularly adverse to the industry's
interests," said Tom Stewart, vice president of the Ohio Oil and Gas
Association.
A coalition that includes the Ohio Environmental Council and other
environmental groups argue there are loopholes in the permit proposal
that leave room for more pollution because the permits wouldn't apply
to certain activities and because companies wouldn't be required to
install the best available pollution filters.
The permits wouldn't limit air pollution from drilling or fracking, a
technique in which water, chemicals and sand are pumped in to crack the
ground and release gas or oil, because those are "temporary
activities," Settles said.
It's possible that benzene and other hazardous compounds could
evaporate from the waste water fracking produces, said Teresa Mills,
Ohio organizer for the advocacy group Center for Health, Environment
and Justice.
It's also possible companies could avoid installing the best available
filters on massive oil storage tanks depending on their annual
emissions of volatile organic compounds that help form smog, the
newspaper said.
David Celebrezze of the Ohio Environmental Council said he thinks
companies should be installing the best possible anti-pollution
technology.
The EPA is expected to begin taking public comment on the permit
proposal soon, perhaps in just a few weeks.